Filming for “The Witcher” Final Season Commences in South Africa

Filming for the final season of “The Witcher” has started in South Africa, utilizing sets from the spinoff “The Rats: A Witcher’s Tale.” Ciri will face challenges in a fighting pit owned by crime lord Dominik Houvenaghel. The production is expected to continue until September 2025, with release anticipated in 2026, while Netflix remains quiet on promotional activities.

The filming of the fifth and final season of “The Witcher” commenced on February 26, 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa. This marks a significant shift from the initial shooting locations in Budapest, Hungary, which began in November 2018. The production will utilize sets created for the spinoff titled “The Rats: A Witcher’s Tale,” as both the spinoff and the new season are set in the same town within the show’s universe.

Unlike previous seasons that started filming in England at Longcross Studios, the production for Season 5 has opted for location shoots in South Africa, operating under the codename “Complete Chaos.” The filming is scheduled to continue until March 21, 2025, capturing significant scenes involving characters and plot elements relevant to both the spinoff and the main series.

In Season 5, Freya Allan’s character Ciri will find herself in a perilous situation, forced to fight in a fighting pit owned by the crime lord Dominik Houvenaghel. This setup ties to events from the spinoff, where the story revolves around a heist targetingHouvenaghel and his cousin, Leo Bonhart. The town featured in the scenes draws its name from the book, Ebbing, although it remains unnamed within the series.

Filming also involves scenic outdoor locations including the Cederberg mountains and Stellenbosch, with notable props such as fake corpses spotted during the shoot. Ciri’s companions, Yennefer and Triss, portrayed by Anya Chalotra and Anna Shaffer, respectively, also participated in the final week of shooting, suggesting they will have significant storylines in Season 5. However, Liam Hemsworth, who plays Geralt, was not observed in South Africa.

Following the first month of filming, the total production is anticipated to extend until September 2025, with a likely release in 2026. As of now, Netflix has not officially announced the commencement of filming for the final season, remaining relatively silent about the show since the disappointing performance of “Sirens of the Deep” earlier this year. Season 4 of “The Witcher” is set to premiere sometime in 2025.

The fifth and final season of “The Witcher” has officially begun filming in South Africa, utilizing sets designed for the spinoff “The Rats: A Witcher’s Tale.” This season will focus on Ciri’s struggles in a fighting pit owned by the crime lord Dominik Houvenaghel, while other characters, including Yennefer and Triss, appear to have their own subplots. Although production is projected to last until September 2025, Netflix has yet to promote these developments publicly, inching towards a 2026 release date.

Original Source: www.whats-on-netflix.com